IMPORTANT MESSAGE

Buy Local Supporters:

Thank you for your continued support and interest in the I Buy NEO program. Promoting locally-owned businesses and educating consumers to the importance of buying local remains at the heart of the I Buy NEO mission.

Recently, contractual issues with our third party card processing vendor have caused us to suspend the Community Card rebate element of the I Buy NEO program. Therefore, as of March 31, 2010 no future rebates will be calculated, accrued or distributed as a result of swiping your Community Card at participating businesses. Any rebates accrued prior to March 31, 2010 will be honored.

What this means is...

If you are an I Buy NEO merchant – Please refrain from swiping I Buy NEO Community Cards on your credit card terminal. The back-end reporting system no longer exists in the program, rendering the swiping process meaningless.

We urge merchants to continue to reward consumers for buying local by offering them a point-of-sale discount if they present the I Buy NEO Community Card.

We are in the process of developing a new, more efficient way for you to attract and reward loyal customers. We will be contacting you soon with details of our new program structure.

If you are a Community Card holder – You will no longer be able to accumulate cash rebates on your purchases using the I Buy NEO Community Card for you and your designated non-profit organization. All existing rebates due to you on prior purchases will be honored.

Your continued support of locally-owned businesses is important to our community. We are working with participating merchants on developing a new system for rewarding you for shopping at and supporting locally-owned businesses.

Please hold on to your existing Community Card as we anticipate it being part of any future program elements.

If you are a participating non-profit – Please suspend your distribution of any I Buy NEO Community Cards to your constituents, as rebates will no longer be accrued and rewarded in the program’s current structure.

We look forward to exploring ways to engage non-profit partners, businesses and consumers to benefit our local economy and communities.

Once again we thank you for your patience and understanding, and for your continued support of locally-owned businesses. If you have any questions at all, don’t hesitate to contact the I Buy NEO program director, Dan Roman at (216) 592-2304 or droman@cose.org.